If You're Thinking of Living In/New Rochelle; In People and Housing, Eclectic Mixes

By CHERYL PLATZMAN WEINSTOCK

Published: September 24, 2000

WHEN Peter Ackerman, a lawyer in private practice in White Plains, and his wife, Mindy, a jewelry designer, were looking for their first home 17 years ago, Mr. Ackerman said he had strong opinions that helped guide him toward the multicultural Westchester city of New Rochelle.

''I spent my teenage years in a homogeneous place that I would never want for my 11-year-old daughter,'' he said. ''From personal experience, I can tell you that spending time in an environment like that, kids don't have to work as hard at learning about other people in the larger world who are not like them.

''When you're forced into an environment where you really have to interact with kids from different socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds,'' he said, ''you're forced to realize that the world is a more complex place than your own personal, rather insular environment. We believe there are no losses here in New Rochelle as the result of its diverse population. It's part of its strength.''

Vijay Kumar and his wife, Subha Sundaram, feel the same way about New Rochelle. ''As immigrants from India, we believe in having our two children not only tolerate diversity, but really embrace and celebrate it like they can here,'' said Mr. Kumar, a regional manager of Citrix Systems, a software company in New York City. ''Our primary driver for moving here was really space. But it's comforting to know that in a suburban setting you can still find a balanced, cosmopolitan place where you don't have to give up anything.''

New Rochelle's eclectic mix of people, homes and neighborhoods has inspired artists to try to recreate the feeling in television scripts, paintings, books and songs. Carl Reiner wrote ''The Dick Van Dyke Show'' around the memories of his life in New Rochelle, Norman Rockwell painted his visions of American life during his 25 years there and E.L. Doctorow's novel, ''Ragtime,'' was inspired by his fireplace musings in his 1908 home in the city. Today New Rochelle is still a haven for artists from Hollywood to Broadway and Carnegie Hall, including Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee, Andrea McArdle, Frances Sternhagen and Robert Merrill.

And its nine miles of shoreline, ethnic restaurants and neighborhoods and proximity to major highways and New York City continue to attract homebuyers.

''There is no place like us,'' said Lucille Ritacco, of Lucille Ritacco Realty in New Rochelle. ''Even our high-end buyers in the $900,000 range keep losing homes because houses are getting multiple bids by buyers willing to pay $50,000 to $75,000 over asking to live here in magnificent Tudors and large, old colonials.''

The city has a widely varied housing stock. ''This is one of the few places in Westchester where you can still find a small, starter home on a small corner lot or near the railroad for between $155,000 to $225,000,'' said Beryl Zawatsky of Beryl Z. Realty in New Rochelle,

From there, homes can range up to $350,000 for larger, three-bedroom, two-bath older colonials in more residential areas on 75-foot-by-100-foot lots. Newer split-levels and ranches, as well as some colonials on one-third-acre parcels, range from $360,000 to $500,000. More stately homes, such as English Tudors with stained-glass windows and Georgian colonials with pillars, in Wykagyl Park, Bonnie Crest and Forest Heights range from $600,000 to $1 million. There are a relatively high 27 homes on the market in this price range, although 12 are in contract, she said. Homes along the shoreline in Premium Point Park and Sans Souci can sell for more than $1 million.

BESIDES the many single-family homes on the market in New Rochelle, there are many other housing options. These include 41 co-op complexes, 8 condominiums, 268 multiple-family homes and 70 apartment buildings, said Louis Perone, the city assessor. In addition, 400 luxury rental units are planned for the downtown area.

A two-bedroom co-op ranges from $60,000 to $150,000, and a two-bedroom condominium from $135,000 to $255,000. A two-bedroom apartment rents for approximately $1,100 a month.

Timothy C. Idoni, New Rochelle's mayor, called the city, which was founded in the 1680's by the French Huguenots, a ''sophisticated suburb able to handle urban issues and suburban issues at the same time.''

Recently, Ikea proposed a store along I-95 on 16 acres of property that includes 34 residences in a so-called blighted area. ''This area was designated for redevelopment years ago,'' Mayor Idoni said. ''One of the requirements that the city has placed on Ikea is to come up with an excellent relocation program for the residents down there.''

Another issue that New Rochelle is tackling is whether the Young Israel of New Rochelle, which just bought property next to the Wykagyl Country Club to build a larger synagogue and catering facility, should get a zoning variance. ''The use of the synagogue itself is not illegal,'' Mayor Idoni said. ''It's the size of the building that's creating an issue. There's significant opposition to it from the neighborhood. But people have the right to buy property. When the synagogue completes their environmental impact study, we'll have more answers.''